Jackson, Wyoming!

I just remembered exactly why I came back out West. I might have been confused before, but here’s the reason right here:



Man, where to even start?
Well, for one thing, using the scientific method:
Hypothesis – The United States is BIG.
Prior research – Other people have told me so, it looks big on maps.
Experimental Design – I’m gonna drive from Connecticut to Wyoming.
Test – I DID drive from Connecticut to Wyoming.
Data -- It took a long time, and added about 2,800 miles to my car.
Conclusions – Yes, the United States IS big.

It was kind of cool to see how the country changed. The drive really made me appreciate geology in a whole new way!
Let’s see, first we went through Pennsylvania (which was actually kind of nice), and then booked it up to Chicago! We stopped at the Indiana Dunes Sate Park, and with the Great Sand Dunes of Colorado in mind, I was very disappointed. Plus, it was Memorial Day, and very hot, so it was jam-packed. It was a nice little swim, though. That night we went up to Evanston, and stayed in a cooperative house with my friend Alice, whom I met in Woods Hole. The next day we drive across Illinois, Wisconsin, and the Mississippi River! We got to Laura and Morgan’s house maybe around 3? It was so nice to see them all, and have real food, a real shower, sleep in a real bed, and to play with Greta! She wrote me a card (I had to help her spell), that said “I LOVE YOU GRETA WANTS YOU TO STAY”. The cutest thing ever! We walked her to her bus stop in the morning, and then hit the road again. SOMEHOW we made it all the way to the Bad Lands National Park in South Dakota, by nighttime. Once during the day we needed gas real bad, and stopped at this station that was in an absolutely barren town. The station was closed, all the houses were falling down, and we didn’t see a single person. It was pretty funny. There were approximately 5 houses at this exit, and it was surrounded by ranch land as far as we could see.
The Bad Lands were AMAZING. So beautiful. We could see them coming across the plains! I can’t even describe it. I’m STILL not 100% sure I know what is going on, geologically, around there, but then again, from what I understand – neither do the scientists. We went to the visitor center in the morning to learn about them some – basically the Black Hills (to the west) eroded into an inland sea, and formed a sediment delta, kind of like the Mississippi. Then the sea drained, though, and the delta, now all sandstone and mudstone, started to be eroded, leaving tall spires where igneous rock (lava) had filled in deep cracks in the sandstone.




From there we went to Jewel Cave National Monument, which is basically a cave that was formed like a geode. The limestone rock was dissolved by water with CO2 in it, and then evaporated, and the calcite formed crystals on the cave walls. It is the 2nd largest cave in the world! The walls are all covered in crystals and these weird things called draperies that look kind of like jellyfish, but made from rock. My favorite part was when the tour guide turned off all the lights. Cave Dark is so awesome. He was the best ranger I met the whole trip, I was actually kind of disappointed by all the others.
From there we drove west into Wyoming. We stopped on the boarder and went to a diner for dinner in a tiny town. Everyone there was local and knew each other, and there was an awkward 1st date going on in the corner between a cowboy and this girl. I started noticing much more mustaches.
That night we stayed at a campground in Gillette, WY, next to this giant parking garage. From there we drove up an over the Big Horn Mountains. They were SOOOOO beautiful, COVERD in snow! Drifts next to the road were probably up to 7 feet tall! It was very cold and windy on top. I wished I had remembered my snow shoes. On the other side we stopped for lunch, and saw bison tracks, a lizard, and more cool geology.



That night we got into Yellowstone not too late, and went up to Mammoth Hot Springs. Very cool also, but my favorite thing was hiking in the woods and seeing a Mule Deer (I think). Also going to the Giant Prismatic Hot Spring the next day. So many colors!! We also saw tons of buffalo, elk, and an elk chasing a coyote across a marsh! Also an osprey. I think that’s it?






The next day we drove down to the Tetons, and Jackson Hole! I was very nervous, but also excited for something new! I dropped Dad off at the airport, and got a tour of the campus.
That night I was hanging out on the porch, trying to be more outgoing than I usually am, and three guys asked if I wanted to go on a hike they were all going on. We drove into the Tetons, and went hiking and slipping and sliding over 2 feet of snow, to this BEAUTIFUL lake, I think called Leigh. I wanted to swim so much, but I would have died of the cold. When we got back at 10, we all ate dinner out of the Silver Fridge in the dim dining hall, and then went to sleep.

Training so far is awesome. Everyone seems really nice, and so much like me! There’s talk of a group camping trip into the Tetons this weekend, and later camping in the Wind River Range! Everyone here has had the most awesome jobs, been to the most beautiful National Parks, and lots of them actually know people I know from Woods Hole, or Science Camp, way back 4 years ago. One Instructor worked for ACES a few years ago! Man, that’s all I can really handle writing about right now, I hope that your curiosity is satisfied. And that you’re not bored.
I had forgotten how much I love the West. Or maybe it’s just doing new things in new places. People here love my science jokes, and ASK me about plants, instead of getting annoyed. They love Garrison Keillor. They buy clothes from Goodwill. They’re looking into awesome masters programs in science and teaching. They’ve done programs that I though sounded cool. I love it.

I love you all, too, and miss you!

Oh, here’s a treat for STILL being reading:

I don’t really have cell reception at all, but my computer is working again! And my mailing address is:
Melanie Poole
Teton Science Schools
700 Coyote Canyon Road, Jackson, WY 83001